Sampdoria: Sometimes They Don’t Come Back—Four Names in the Running for the Coaching Job, Lombardo at the Helm

Marco Giampaolo will not be returning to Sampdoria. Negotiations to bring the coach back to the Blucerchiati bench have stalled just before the deal was set to be signed, forcing the club to consider other options following Bernardo Corradi’s dismissal. According to Telenord, the alternatives include Luca D’Angelo, Paolo Zanetti, Roberto D’Aversa, and Michele Mignani. Pending a decision, the team remains under the guidance of Attilio Lombardo, who may also lead them in their next two away games against Südtirol and Ascoli, scheduled for Saturday and Tuesday.

The return of Giampaolo, who had previously coached Sampdoria from 2016 to 2019 and again in 2022, seemed imminent. However, the parties reportedly failed to reach an agreement on several key issues, starting with salary and the length of the contract. Disagreements over the composition of the coaching staff also reportedly complicated the negotiations.

Before signing a new deal, Giampaolo would also have had to resolve his ongoing contract with Cremonese, which had fired him in early September. The Grigiorosso club had shown a willingness to find a solution to terminate the contract and reduce its payroll, as had already been done with Davide Nicola, who moved to Venezia and defeated Napoli in his debut match.

With the possibility of bringing Giampaolo back off the table, Sampdoria will now have to find another coach. Management is reviewing the available candidates, while Lombardo continues to work with the team. It is possible that the former Sampdoria midfielder could remain at the helm of the team at least for the upcoming matches, pending the club’s final decision.